| | | | | Arrive | Depart |
| 31st31 | AugAug | 201919 | Saint Petersburg (ex Leningrad), Russia, embark on the Rostropovitch | 18:00 | |
| Commissioned by Tsar Peter the Great (1672–1725) as "a window looking into Europe," St. Petersburg is a planned city whose elegance is reminiscent of Europe's most alluring capitals. Little wonder it's the darling of fashion photographers and travel essayists today: built on more than a hundred islands in the Neva Delta linked by canals and arched bridges, it was called the "Venice of the North" by Goethe, and its stately embankments are reminiscent of those in Paris. A city of golden spires and gilded domes, of pastel palaces and candlelit cathedrals, this city conceived by a visionary emperor is filled with pleasures and tantalizing treasures. With its strict geometric lines and perfectly planned architecture, so unlike the Russian cities that came before it, St. Petersburg is almost too European to be Russian. And yet it's too Russian to be European. The city is a powerful combination of both East and West, springing from the will and passion of its founder to guide a resistant Russia into the greater fold of Europe, and consequently into the mainstream of history. That he accomplished, and more. With a population of nearly 5 million, St. Petersburg is the fourth largest city in Europe after Paris, Moscow, and London. Without as many of the fashionably modern buildings that a business center like Moscow acquires, the city has managed to preserve much more of its history. Here, you can imagine yourself back in the time of the tsars and Dostoyevsky. Although it's a close race, it's safe to say that most visitors prefer St. Petersburg's culture, history, and beauty to Moscow's glamour and power. That said, St. Petersburg has begun to play a more active role in politics in recent years, as if it were the country's northern capital. It may be because of the affection the city holds in the heart of the country's political elite, many of whom are natives of the city. New high-speed trains now travel between Moscow and St. Petersburg, a new international airport and metro stations have just opened, and some crumbling parts of the city are undergoing reconstruction. St. Petersburg revels in its historic beauty but also embraces the new. Passengers are welcome to begin boarding our ship at 2:00 p.m. We'll have dinner and spend the night on board. |
| 1st01 | SepSep | 201919 | Saint Petersburg (ex Leningrad), Russia | | |
| Commissioned by Tsar Peter the Great (1672–1725) as "a window looking into Europe," St. Petersburg is a planned city whose elegance is reminiscent of Europe's most alluring capitals. Little wonder it's the darling of fashion photographers and travel essayists today: built on more than a hundred islands in the Neva Delta linked by canals and arched bridges, it was called the "Venice of the North" by Goethe, and its stately embankments are reminiscent of those in Paris. A city of golden spires and gilded domes, of pastel palaces and candlelit cathedrals, this city conceived by a visionary emperor is filled with pleasures and tantalizing treasures. With its strict geometric lines and perfectly planned architecture, so unlike the Russian cities that came before it, St. Petersburg is almost too European to be Russian. And yet it's too Russian to be European. The city is a powerful combination of both East and West, springing from the will and passion of its founder to guide a resistant Russia into the greater fold of Europe, and consequently into the mainstream of history. That he accomplished, and more. With a population of nearly 5 million, St. Petersburg is the fourth largest city in Europe after Paris, Moscow, and London. Without as many of the fashionably modern buildings that a business center like Moscow acquires, the city has managed to preserve much more of its history. Here, you can imagine yourself back in the time of the tsars and Dostoyevsky. Although it's a close race, it's safe to say that most visitors prefer St. Petersburg's culture, history, and beauty to Moscow's glamour and power. That said, St. Petersburg has begun to play a more active role in politics in recent years, as if it were the country's northern capital. It may be because of the affection the city holds in the heart of the country's political elite, many of whom are natives of the city. New high-speed trains now travel between Moscow and St. Petersburg, a new international airport and metro stations have just opened, and some crumbling parts of the city are undergoing reconstruction. St. Petersburg revels in its historic beauty but also embraces the new. We'll leave on a panoramic tour of Saint Petersburg, Russia's second largest city and a world-class destination. Formerly known as Petrograd, and subsequently Leningrad, this is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places on earth and virtually any building in its large historic center, threaded with canals and dotted with baroque bridges, can be considered an attraction. The Neva River flows through this marvelous city which has inspired and nurtured some of the modern world's greatest literature, music, and visual art. We'll see the Nevsky Prospect, the imposing St. Isaac Cathedral, and the two Rostral columns. Afterwards, we'll visit the Peter and Paul Fortress and its cathedral, which contains the tombs of former Russian tsars. We'll have lunch in town. In the afternoon, we'll visit the most famous museum in Russia: The State Hermitage Museum. Sprawling across three massive buildings, this vast, chaotic, and incredibly rich collection is unquestionably the biggest draw for visitors to St. Petersburg. After our tour, we'll return on board and begin our cruise. Tonight's dinner will be followed by dancing. |
| 2nd02 | SepSep | 201919 | Saint Petersburg (ex Leningrad), Russia | | |
| Commissioned by Tsar Peter the Great (1672–1725) as "a window looking into Europe," St. Petersburg is a planned city whose elegance is reminiscent of Europe's most alluring capitals. Little wonder it's the darling of fashion photographers and travel essayists today: built on more than a hundred islands in the Neva Delta linked by canals and arched bridges, it was called the "Venice of the North" by Goethe, and its stately embankments are reminiscent of those in Paris. A city of golden spires and gilded domes, of pastel palaces and candlelit cathedrals, this city conceived by a visionary emperor is filled with pleasures and tantalizing treasures. With its strict geometric lines and perfectly planned architecture, so unlike the Russian cities that came before it, St. Petersburg is almost too European to be Russian. And yet it's too Russian to be European. The city is a powerful combination of both East and West, springing from the will and passion of its founder to guide a resistant Russia into the greater fold of Europe, and consequently into the mainstream of history. That he accomplished, and more. With a population of nearly 5 million, St. Petersburg is the fourth largest city in Europe after Paris, Moscow, and London. Without as many of the fashionably modern buildings that a business center like Moscow acquires, the city has managed to preserve much more of its history. Here, you can imagine yourself back in the time of the tsars and Dostoyevsky. Although it's a close race, it's safe to say that most visitors prefer St. Petersburg's culture, history, and beauty to Moscow's glamour and power. That said, St. Petersburg has begun to play a more active role in politics in recent years, as if it were the country's northern capital. It may be because of the affection the city holds in the heart of the country's political elite, many of whom are natives of the city. New high-speed trains now travel between Moscow and St. Petersburg, a new international airport and metro stations have just opened, and some crumbling parts of the city are undergoing reconstruction. St. Petersburg revels in its historic beauty but also embraces the new. We'll spend the morning cruising the river. Join us for a presentation of Russian crafts before our arrival in Mandrogi. Enjoy lunch in the open while listening to traditional music. Afterwards, you'll have some free time to enjoy a stroll through the village, founded over 16 years ago as an eco-stop. Artisans and craftsmen from all over Russia were invited to live and work here, creating the village's unique style. After our tour, we'll return on board. Tonight, join us for some lessons on speaking Russian before dinner. We'll finish up the evening with some traditional musical entertainment and dancing. |
| 2nd02 | SepSep | 201919 | Mandrogi, Russia | | |
| 3rd03 | SepSep | 201919 | Mandrogi, Russia | | |
| Located at the heart of Lake Onega in the Republic of Karelia, Kizhi is one of Russia's must-see attractions. We'll visit the open-air museum that houses the collection of wooden structures from the past, including the 22-domed Church of the Transfiguration of Our Savior, covered with golden leaves and religious portraits, and the Church of the Intercession. We'll have lunch on board and continue our cruise. Join us for a Russian nesting dolls painting class. There will also be a concert of classical music. We'll enjoy dinner on board. Tonight's Russian language lesson will be on songs. Finish off the day on the dance floor. |
| 3rd03 | SepSep | 201919 | Kizhi Island, Russia | | |
| 4th04 | SepSep | 201919 | Kizhi Island, Russia | | |
| We'll spend the morning cruising the river. Join us for another Russian language lesson. Afterwards, we'll visit the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, founded in the 14th century. Once the largest monastery in Northern Russia, the museum houses many fabulous icons to feast your eyes upon. After our tour, we'll return on board and enjoy a Russian tea drinking ceremony. After a Russian dinner this evening, join us for some traditional musical entertainment and dancing. We'll spend the night on board. |
| 4th04 | SepSep | 201919 | Goritsy, Kirillovsky District, Russia | | |
| 5th05 | SepSep | 201919 | Goritsy, Kirillovsky District, Russia | | |
| Uglich was first settled along the banks of the Volga River in 937. After Ivan the Terrible's death, the city was the stage for the banishment and subsequent death of Ivan's youngest son, Tsarevich Dmitry, which precipitated the era known as the Time of Troubles in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. We'll walk around the Kremlin and visit the Church of Saint Dmitry on the Blood and the Cathedral of the Transfiguration. Afterwards, we'll continue our cruise. Join us once again for Russian language, songs and dance lessons. Tonight will be our farewell dinner and gala concert, followed by an evening of dancing. |
| 5th05 | SepSep | 201919 | Uglich, Russia | | |
| 6th06 | SepSep | 201919 | Uglich, Russia | | |
| We'll spend the morning cruising the river, arriving in Moscow in the early afternoon. First, we'll visit the Moscow Kremlin. Inextricably linked to the most important historical and political events in Russia since the 13th century, the Kremlin was a royal residence and religious center. We'll stroll by St. Basil's Cathedral and through the Red Square, the historic heart of Russia. Enjoy a bit of shopping at the mall in the once-famous GUM State Department Store. We'll have dinner in the city. We'll spend an evening of dancing and the night on board. |
| 6th06 | SepSep | 201919 | Moscow, Russia | | |
| 7th07 | SepSep | 201919 | Moscow, Russia, disembark the Rostropovitch | | |
| Enjoy one last breakfast before disembarking in Moscow. End of our services. |
